This application relates to absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, adult incontinence devices, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent articles having a lotion coating on the outer surface of the topsheet that is transferable to the wearer""s skin by normal contact and wearer motion and/or body heat. The lotions disclosed in the present invention reduce the adherence of BM to the skin of the wearer, thereby improving the ease of BM clean up.
Many types of disposable absorbent products, such as diapers, are available that have a high capacity for absorbing urine. Disposable products of this type generally comprise some sort of fluid-permeable topsheet material, an absorbent core, and a fluid-impermeable backsheet material. Although these types of absorbent structures may be highly efficient for the absorption of fluids, they cannot absorb bowel movements (i.e., hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cBMxe2x80x9d). Typically, the BM is trapped between the outer surface of the fluid-permeable topsheet and the skin of the wearer, much of it adhering to the wearer""s skin.
To prevent BM from adhering to the wearer""s skin, the caregiver often applies protective or xe2x80x9crepellentxe2x80x9d products such as vaseline or mineral oil to the buttocks and anal region before placing the absorbent article on the wearer. This procedure usually involves the caregiver""s pouring of the oil or lotion, for example, in one of their hands, rubbing both hands together to distribute the substance thereon and then wiping the same on the skin of the infant. To eliminate the need for this wasteful, messy, and easily forgotten procedure, there have been numerous previous attempts to prepare absorbent articles which contain a protective or therapeutic skin care substance on the topsheet.
One substance that has been applied as a lotion to diaper products to impart a soothing, protective coating is mineral oil. Mineral oil (also known as liquid petrolatum) is a mixture of various liquid hydrocarbons obtained by distilling the high-boiling (i.e., 300xc2x0-390xc2x0 C.) fractions in petroleum. Mineral oil is liquid at ambient temperatures, e.g. 20xc2x0-25xc2x0 C. As a result, mineral oil is relatively fluid and mobile, even when applied to diaper topsheets.
Because mineral oil is fluid and mobile at ambient temperatures, it tends not to remain localized on the surface of the topsheet, but instead migrates through the topsheet into the interior of the diaper. Accordingly, relatively high levels of mineral oil need to be applied to the topsheet to provide the desired therapeutic or protective coating lotion benefits. This leads not only to increased costs for these lotioned diaper products, but other detrimental effects as well.
One of these detrimental effects is a decrease in the fluid handling properties as high levels of mineral oil tend to block the topsheet openings. Also, as mineral oil migrates to the interior of the diaper, it tends to act as a hydrophobic additive, thus decreasing the absorbency of the underlying absorbent core, if one is used. This decrease in absorbency becomes more pronounced as the level of mineral oil applied is increased.
Even without increasing its level, the tendency of mineral oil to migrate once applied has other detrimental effects. For example, the applied mineral oil can transfer to, into and through the packaging or wrapper material for the lotioned diaper product. This can create the need for barrier-type packaging or wrapper films to avoid smearing or other leakage of mineral oil from the diaper product.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide lotioned diaper products that: (1) have desirable therapeutic or protective coating lotion benefits (2) do not require relatively high levels of coatings that are liquid at room temperature (e.g., mineral oil) (3) do not adversely affect the absorbency of the diaper product; and (4) do not require special wrapping or barrier materials for packaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,998 to Hayford et al. teaches a disposable baby diaper, an interior liner of which carries an array of pressure-rupturable capsules containing baby oil. The patent teaches that it is desirable to break the capsules prior to using the diaper by applying pressure with such household items as a rolling pin, hand iron, etc. The same principle of pressure-rupturable capsules is used in U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,413 to Goldfarb et al. for making bandages capable of delivering a medicinal material to an injury. Articles disclosed by both patents have a serious drawback. Namely, unless the capsules are ruptured by applying pressure prior to using the diaper or the bandage, the skin-care substance contained in the capsules is either not delivered at all or is delivered non-uniformly leaving some areas of skin uncoated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,807 to Buchalter teaches an article impregnated with a solid oil phase of cream formulation which forms a cream upon addition of moisture thereto. A major disadvantage of the article disclosed by the reference is that transfer of a beneficial substance from the absorbent substrate to skin is delayed and is only realized when body fluids are released.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,148 to Duncan et al. teaches a baby diaper comprising a hydrophobic and oleophobic topsheet wherein a portion of the topsheet is coated with a discontinuous film of oleaginous material. A major disadvantage of the diapers disclosed in the Duncan et al. reference is that the hydrophobic and oleophobic topsheets are slow in promoting transfer of urine to the underlying absorbent cores.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable diaper having a hydrophilic topsheet having superior fluid handling properties.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydrophilic diaper topsheet having a lotion coating on the outer surface of the topsheet that is transferable to the wearer""s skin and is effective at reducing the adherence of BM to the skin, thereby improving the ease of BM cleanup.
It is yet a further object of the present invention desirable to provide lotioned diaper products that: (1) have desirable BM release, cleaning, therapeutic or protective lotion coating benefits (2) do not require relatively high levels of mineral oil; (3) do not adversely affect the fluid handling properties of the diaper; and (4) do not require special wrapping or barrier materials for packaging.
These and other objects are obtained using the present invention, as will become readily apparent from a reading of the following disclosure.
The present invention relates to a disposable absorbent article having a lotion coating on the outer surface of the topsheet that is semisolid or solid at ambient temperatures (i.e., at 20xc2x0 C.) and is adapted to be transferred to the wearer""s skin.
Briefly, the disposable absorbent articles of the present invention comprise:
A) a liquid impervious backsheet;
B) a liquid pervious, topsheet joined to said backsheet, said topsheet having an inner surface oriented toward the interior of said absorbent article and an outer surface oriented toward the skin of the wearer when said absorbent article is being worn, wherein at least a portion of said topsheet outer surface comprises an effective amount of a lotion coating which is semi-solid or solid at 20xc2x0 C. and which is partially transferable to the wearer""s skin, said lotion coating comprising:
(i) from about 10 to about 95% of a substantially water free emollient having a plastic or fluid consistency at 20xc2x0 C. and comprising a member selected from the group consisting of petroleum-based emollients, fatty acid ester emollients, alkyl ethoxylate emollients, polysiloxane emollients, and mixtures thereof;
(ii) from about 5 to about 90% of an agent capable of immobilizing said emollient on said outer surface of the topsheet, said immobilizing agent having a melting point of at least about 35xc2x0 C.; and
C) an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet.
The quantity of lotion coating on a least a portion of the absorbent article topsheets of the present invention preferably ranges from about 0.1 mg/in2 to about 25 mg/in2, more preferably from about 1 mg/in2 to about 10 mg/in2. Lotioned absorbent article topsheets according to the present invention provide desirable therapeutic or protective lotion coating benefits. Because the emollient is substantially immobilized on the surface of the topsheet, less lotion composition is needed to impart the desired skin care benefits.
As will be discussed hereinafter, the lotion compositions of the present invention preferably have a melting profile such that they are relatively immobile and localized on the absorbent article topsheet at room temperature, are transferable to the wearer at body temperature, and yet are not completely liquid under extreme storage conditions.
Importantly, the lotion compositions of the present invention are easily transferable to the skin by way of normal contact, wearer motion, and/or body heat. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that the lotion composition changes the surface energy of the skin, and/or forms a xe2x80x9cbarrierxe2x80x9d reducing the affinity of the skin for BM. The BM, therefore, has a reduced tendency to stick to the skin, and is easier to remove.